Against All Odds
by nhannah
Summary: In a future where demons run amok and there is no longer a Rekai Tantei to stop them, would a lone warrior prevail in his quest for justice? And where exactly does love fit in? An epic tale of action, drama and romance. [HieixBotan][Not AU]
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, all you readers! **

**This is my latest fic. I started off just wanting to write something dark and meaningful, but I ended up with a whole 5-page chapter that is threatening to become an entire 20-chapter fanfic, or something along the lines.**

**Anyways, this is my first attempt on doing something SO lengthy and SO deep, so please don't blame me if it turns out crap. I seriously did NOT know what I was doing.**

**READ and REVIEW!

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**Against All Odds

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_Chapter One_

_All around me there was nothing but darkness. Cold, unwelcoming realms of nothingness that had no end and no beginning. Pools of crimson coated the dark-tiled earth. I lifted the hem of my pink kimono, wincing slightly when I found that it, too, like everything else in the room, was now dank and soaked in hot, sticky blood. I shifted uncomfortably in my position until my bare ankles were finally out of the pool of blood. Finally, I looked forward._

'_H-Hiei?' I heard myself squeak as I pushed myself to gain momentum towards the slowly-dying figure of the koorime, Hiei Jaganshi._

_Hiei looked up at me with those same emotionless garnet eyes that made me shudder and wince. His face was a paler shade than usual, and his skin had a clammy, green tint to it. His lips, too, were dry and cracked as he parted them, as though trying to voice something out. I heard nothing._

'_Hiei! No!' I screamed, gathering up my skirts and brushing the bangs of blue hair out of my eyes as I quickly rushed forward in a pitiful attempt to catch up to him. 'You can't... leave now!'_

_It was useless. No matter how hard I tried to push myself, the dying figure of the silent koorime had all ready dissapeared; leaving no evidence of its prescence apart from the faint glow of red light._

_I fell to my knees and wept openly as my fingers trailed passed my neck, trying to lock hold of the single red orb that made all this pain bearable; a lone koorime tear gem – the only one that had ever, or will ever, fall from the infamous Jaganshi thief. I clutched it to my chest, and gradually allowed myself to fall apart._

'Hiei!' I screamed, scrambling out of my pale blue sheets as my arms dangled forward in hopeless attempt to reach out for the said koorime.

'Onna, what's wrong?' came Hiei's emotionless, nonchalant reply. He was sitting on the stool right next to my bed, the blade of his merciless katana gleaming under the light of the pale, coin-shaped moon glowing outside my bedroom window. Clothed only in a pair of grey trousers, the fire apparation stared solemnly at me, his Jagan eye open and searching my mind for answers.

I grabbed him and pulled him into a close embrace; immediately startling him and causing our mental contact to break. Weeping quietly into his strong, chiseled chest, I could tell from the obvious stiffening of limbs that Hiei was becoming impatient, and that he wanted an answer to my sudden emotional state.

'It was terrible...' I moaned into his chest, pulling him closer for warmth. Hiei did not hug me towards him for comfort, nor did he push me away coldly as I had immagined he would. Instead he remained silent, waiting patiently for my answer. 'You were... dying... there was nothing I could do to help you,' I continued between a frenzy of nervous hiccups.

Hiei did not respond, and because of that, I raised my eyes up to meet his – a pair of deep, garnet eyes that held fire without any warmth, mystery entwined between the strings of dark history.

'H-Hiei?' I squeaked.

Hiei brought his arms off his sides, and in turn wrapped them around me awkwardly. The motion caught me by surprise, and it took all the will-power in the world to stop me from shuddering beneath his sudden kind gesture. Tears leaked out of my eyes as I quickly broke eye-contact with him.

'I... want this to end...' I muttered, pressing myself against his body firmly for comfort.

Again, the koorime did not respond. His red orbs were glazed over, and his lips were tightly pursed together, making it look as though he was in deep thought. Finally, he parted his lips to speak...

'It will end soon.'

The way he had said that made everything seem so easy. It was as if the dark, agonizingly painful cloud that hung over the roof of my safely sealed-up home meant nothing, and that all this suffering we had endured will soon pass and we'd soon return to our ordinary lives again.

The words spoken were, indeed, very comforting, and although we both knew what he had promised was, most likely, untrue, we both pretended to believe so anyways as we sank into the dark silence, arms entwined with one another, embracing the inevetable.

_Eleven months ago..._

Running.

Nothing but the faint trample of feet against cold, tiled earth broke the silence. Running footsteps left a trail of large demons after its wake. A figure clothed entirely in black ran so quickly passed the area that it seemed as though he had been flying. So quick were his feet, in fact, that one would have missed his presence at all.

'Got... to... get out of... here!' muttered the figure to himself as his rough hands clutched over his own leaking abdomen. Beads of cool sweat trickled down his forehead, forming a complicated trail as they entwined with his own hot blood.

'Jaganshi! Over here!' a crisp, cool voice broke through the rushing wind.

The running man named Jaganshi did not bother to try to recognize the voice, and the question of whether that person was friend or foe elluded him as he quickly seized the oppurtunity of a helping hand.

There was, of course, a time when the man named Jaganshi did not need help – where his demonic blood ran a frenzy and he could fend entirely for himself. At that time, his pride meant everything to him, and the need for assistance was considered petty and weak.

That time had passed long ago.

'Thank you,' huffed Jaganshi through intakes of ragged breath. No matter how many times he had said it, the word still seemed alien to him, but he managed nonetheless.

'No problem,' replied the man, grinning cheekily as he stuck a thumb up in a cocky-like gesture.

The simple motion caused hundreds of memories to float through the mind of the man named Jaganshi. An image of a face, so clear and happy and full of life, burned through his mind most of all, and the man named Jaganshi was forced to bite his tongue in irritation and shake his head in refusal of the thoughts.

'Its dangerous for you to be out there like that, y'know,' stated the stranger, pulling out a cigar and flicking on his lighter to smoke it. The stranger inhaled deeply, and then released a puff of grey smoke from his lips. He offered the cigars to his guest.

'Hn,' replied Jaganshi, casually picking out a cigarette and lighting it up in the same easy motion. The man watched him in unfeined awe. 'How do you know my name?'

The man released a hearty laugh as he leaned himself against the metal railing inside his enclosed fortress. 'Its hard not to know about you, Jaganshi!' he explained. 'You're the only rebel gutsy enough to charge right into the enemies without any bullshit concerning your own safety! Whether its due to sheer bravery or meer crap, you tell me!'

At this, the man named Jaganshi could not help but slip on his own smug smirk. It was true; he was the only person dead crazy enough to rebel against the Makai Emperess in clear daylight. As Jaganshi smirked, he studied the man he was currently conversing with – a youth with slicked-back brown hair. He had clear green eyes and his lips seemed as though they were constantly pulling apart into a cocky grin.

Jaganshi blinked away the image of the annoying brat constantly bragging about how superior he was out of his head.

'Anyways, let me introduce myself to ya!' said the familiar-looking man. 'My name is Isamu Urameshi – leader of the Makai Underground Rebellions!'

Jaganshi almost coughed up his cigarette in shock, as he supressed himself from showing any outward signs of surprise. It was by no mere coincidence that this young man looked and acted like the ex-Spirit Detective, Yusuke Urameshi.

'You are... son of Yusuke Urameshi?' the man named Jaganshi asked in a cold, emotionless tone.

Isamu grinned, revealing his rows of white teeth. 'Yep,' he said, cockily. 'That's me all right.'

Jaganshi suddenly felt a weighing pain towards the young man – he had, after all, been there when Isamu's father had died to a group of thickly-built demons. Jaganshi's garnet eyes darkened immediately at the memory of the battle – he had fled when the oppurtunity of victory had left them.

'My father told me a lot about you,' said Isamu, earnestly, as he glanced over at Jaganshi in awe.

'Yeah?' said Jaganshi, eyes downcast. 'Did he tell you how much of a coward I was for leaving that last fight?'

'He told me how much of a frenchfry you were back then,' said Isamu between a swing of his cigar. He grinned at the memory of his dead father. 'He also told me what a great, fierce warrior you were. He said you were one of the most cold-hearted bastards he had ever met, too, and how you'd never quit fighting for those you cared about.'

Jaganshi flinched when Isamu's cold, clear eyes were turned towards him.

'You're still fighting, Hiei,' said Isamu, his voice close to a whisper. 'Whom for?'

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as Hiei took the oppurtunity to choose his next words wisely. The moment of his reply never came, however, as, suddenly, the face of another stranger barged into the room.

'Isamu-san!' cried the woman desperately, her wild, red hair whipping the wind behind her. 'We have a new patient, and she seems to be in great danger!'

'I'll be right there!' came Isamu's professional reply, before he turned back to his guest with a sheepish smile. 'I'm sorry, Jaganshi, but times are rough nowadays. You'll excuse me?'

Hiei nodded promptly and watched as the figure of Yusuke Urameshi's son dissapeared round the corner.

The woman who had called for Isamu then turned her eyes towards the Jaganshi. 'You are Hiei-san?' she asked him unsurely.

Hiei nodded, keeping a wary eye on the nervous woman. 'Why do you ask?'

'The patient... she wants to see you too!' the woman replied. 'She says its urgent!'

Hiei grunted noticeably as he swung his two legs off the steel counter-top. He had the hilt of his katana stuck in an iron grip as he moved towards the patient. 'Whoever this woman is, she better have some explaining to do!' he thought gruffly to himself.

Little did Hiei Jaganshi know, that the woman he was then about to meet also happened to be a familiar face to the ex-Rekai Tantei. A fair deity with sky-blue coloured hair and pink irises. The Deity of Death... Botan.

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**There. What do you think? I thought the beginning was pretty lame, and I'm not so sure if I want to continue. I mean, I just wrote this for the sake of doing something to pass the time. I didn't know it would turn out to be something 5 pages long – and with more to come!**

**Tell me what you think anyways: whether its bad or good, or whether or not you want me to continue. I, personally, have know idea where this is going... my fingers just seemed to type itself, y'know?**

**REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I was really dissapointed by the amount of reviews received for my previous chapter. I was worried, too – I mean, is it _that _bad? I didn't even get half as many hits as I normally do, and in fact, if it wasn't for the three (or should I say four?) reviews from some of the most talented group of Hiei/Botan writers ever imaginable, I probably wouldn't have continued at all.**

**Anyways, I'm hoping this next chapter won't be as bad. Don't forget to drop me a review before you click, "back".**

**Read, enjoy, REVIEW!! Nyeh:)

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_This chapter goes to orphan mia, Cafinatedangel13 and Third Leo – three of the most, in my opinion, awesome Hiei/Botan writers in fanfiction history. Your review means the world to me.

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**Against All Odds

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_Chapter Two_

21 years before the Makai domination...

'Cheers!' exclaimed a group of six voices at once as they each rose their glasses in the air.

There were currently seven people in the room – Kurama, Keiko, Shizuru, Kuwabara, Yukina, Hiei and Yusuke – and they were all celebrating their 9th year aniversary as the ex-Rekai Tantei. Yusuke Urameshi stood in the very middle; in the limelight of the festivities; as he happily scanned the room.

Everyone was there. The old team – except for Botan and Koenma, of course, but they currently had to deal with their own affairs. A lot had changed since Yusuke Urameshi first found himself dead at the age of 14. Now 23-years-old, and soon-to-be father to a son his wife, Keiko, was now bearing, Yusuke realized that his death had most probably been the greatest key to his entire life – so to speak, of course. Why, if he hadn't died then, who knows what would have become of him? He would probably be wandering the streets as a lowly thief, forever shunned by the rest of the world. In fact, if Yusuke Urameshi hadn't died that day, nine years ago, he never would have met the greatest bunch of friends a guy could ever dream of having...

Kurama was still the infamous fox thief, Youko Kurama, when they had first met. He was a strong warrior and brilliant tactician, both then and now. Currently settling into his mortal, adult life, Kurama was now a well-noted doctor in the whole of Japan. He lived a quaint, tasteful life with his wife, Shizuru Kuwabara.

Kazuma Kuwabara. When they had first met, even before he had died, Kuwabara had been his greatest rival. Though still competing in small matters, the two had put their misunderstandings aside and had become the best of friends. The bond they shared was inseperable, it was though both Yusuke and Kuwabara were brothers of a sort. Kuwabara had now been married to Yukina for over 3 years or so.

And who could ever forget the koorime thief, Hiei Jaganshi? He was one of Yusuke's toughest foes. Quiet and reserved, the koorime was still young for his species, and continued to live on in solitude. He had no home, as he prefered to sleep on trees instead of beds, and would once in a while visit his sister at the Kuwabara residence. Yukina still didn't know that they were related.

Yusuke finished his glass of sake in one quick chug, and placed it to the side with a grin. He licked his lips, tasting alchohol. It was time for the traditional speech.

'Can you believe it?' asked Yusuke, breaking the small chat with a smile. 'Nine years – nine! And you guys still don't look a day old!' At this, Yusuke was answered by laughter and grins of happiness. He continued; 'You know, meeting you guys and kickin' demon ass had been the best years of my life... In all honestly, I actually rather miss that brat Koenma shouting at me to do his dirty work... This has been the best nine years of my life.' Yusuke raised his glass, now half-filled with sake, in the air once more. 'A toast!' he cried. 'To a ten next year!'

Little did Yusuke Urameshi know that the next year of his detective aniversary would never come... for the very next day, they were each called upon on an urgent mission. A final mission that would cost them their lives...

_16 years later, 8 months before present time..._

A cough. A splutter. Blood.

Hiei watched as the blue-haired onna slowly stirred from unconsciousness. Her bubble-gum pink eyes, usually so vivid and full of mirth, were dull when she blinked them open. Her cream-coloured skin was almost three shades paler than usual. She was, to put it simple, a mess. Even her clothes were torn.

'H-Hiei?'

Hiei grunted. 'Hn,' he said, not bothering to face her as he lazily polished his blood-stained katana. 'You should know. You called me over here, onna.'

Botan blinked. Once. Twice. 'Oh, yeah!' she exclaimed, trying to sit up to look at the koorime properly. Her attempt failed as she was gently pushed back into her previous position by a pair of rough hands. Botan coughed.

'Just tell me how this happened, onna,' said Hiei, gesturing at her current state.

Botan smiled sheepishly, catching Hiei by surprise. 'Oh, this...?' she said, turning down to inspect herself. 'Koenma had me fly down here to contact you. I wanted to make in an easy mission, but I met up with some demons on the way over here.'

'Demons?' repeated Hiei, raising a brow at her curiously.

Botan nodded. 'A few. Around... four, I think,' she stated, trying to recall the event. 'They caught me by surprise while I was still on my oar. They pulled me down from the air and... tried to hurt me...'

The upsetting frown on the ferry woman's face had led Hiei to believe that there was more to the story then she brought it out to be, but the demon merely shrugged it off as he continued to question her. 'What did Koenma want you down here for?'

'Oh!' exclaimed Botan some more, looking back up at him. 'He wanted me to send you a message – He says he wants you to help infiltrate the Makai emperass, as it seems they have been mistreating humans.'

'I thought the Spirit World wasn't supposed to be involved,' stated Hiei bluntly.

Botan shook her head no. 'They aren't involved. But YOU, however, are in no means under Rekai authority. You may have been part of the Tantei, but you are still a demon, and as such are restricted only by Makai laws,' said Botan, proffesionally. 'Makai laws clearly state that if a demon were to kill the ruler in charge, the demon would immediately take their place on the throne.'

'What makes you think I would want to do that?' Hiei shot back, giving her a venomous look.

The ferry girl merely smiled lightly, as though unfazed by the glower she was currently given. 'You're a nicer guy than you think, Hiei,' she replied naturally, still sparing the guts to look Hiei straight in the eye as she spoke. She placed a gentle hand against Hiei's cheeks, as he was currently looming over her. The demon bristled at her warm touch. 'You might not want to be, but I believe you have one of the biggest hearts I know.'

At this, the demon said nothing. He merely moved away from her bed, picked his katana off the floor and gave her a grunt of aknowledgement. His face was devoid of expression, even as he left her, but a sudden urge had somehow overtaken him, and the koorime was now faced with the strong desire to rage war against the Makai Emperass.

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Hiei stared up at the dancing shadows on his makeshif-bedroom ceiling. His crimson eyes were halfway closed as his mind reeled back to an event that made him tighten his grip on his katana in anger.

'_Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara!' shouted the voice of Yusuke Urameshi through the claps of thunder and the clashes of blade against blade. 'Get the girls and run, now!'_

_Negative replies were driven his way by his fellow comrades._

'_Just GO!' cried Yusuke, looking desperate as he dodged an attack by a horde of sinister-faced demons. 'We'll all die if we stay here any longer! Take the girls – run! I can... stall them...'_

'_I'll never leave your side, Urameshi!' exclaimed Kuwabara proudly as he sliced his Spirit Sword through the chest of one of the demons. At the same time, Kurama had defiantly stated that he would not retreat, and Hiei had ignored him completely._

'_Just GO!' screamed Yusuke one final time. 'At least if you make it, there would still be hope for the world! LEAVE! Save my son, save your wives – Hiei, save your sister!'_

_The mere mention of his sister caused fear to creep into the nerves of the Fire Apparation._

'_He's right!' said Kurama. 'We should go where we could at least plan our next battle!'_

_Hiei nodded and watched as Kurama, now in the form of Youko, took flight beside his own running feet. 'Don't look back, Hiei!' ordered Kurama right next to him. 'It'll only make it worse! We've got to keep running – no matter what. This is the only way!'_

_**And so, he ran.**_

_A clash, then followed by a scream that sounded like it had come from the Spirit Detective himself._

_**...and ran.**_

'_URAMESHI!'_

_**...and ran.**_

_A desperate war cry. Another scream. A fall. Blood._

_**...and ran.**_

_Hiei peeked over his shoulder, unable to contain the suspense and curiousity that rose inside of him. There, lying a few miles away from him and the fox, were Yusuke and Kuwabara. They were both sprawled on the ground, crimson liquid leaking out of them. Their swords were still tightly gripped in their fists, even in death. The two comrades had died in battle; a feat much larger than he could say for himself._

_**He was still running.**_

Blood started forming in the palm of his hands due to the unnaturally tight grip he was locking onto the hilt of his sword. He didn't notice it however, and continued to bleed. The memory of Yusuke and Kuwabara's death was still fresh in his mind, even now, 6 years since the event. What hurt him most was not the various bruises and scars he had endured, but his own huge pride.

When Isamu had asked him, a few hours back about why he was still fighting, the first thought that came to Hiei's mind was the death of Yusuke, and his own fear of losing his sister and fleeing the battle. It was pointless to continue fighting on, however, for the event had all ready happened, and no matter how many times he bled, history could never be changed.

Perhaps, if he had stayed there, Yusuke would still be alive right now.

'_No,' _thought Hiei, shaking his head in denial. _'Nothing I could've done would have changed the inevetable.'_

That thought alone made him groan in annoyance. He tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep, but unable to. With a heavy sigh, Hiei swung his legs out of bed and prepared to creep out of the room. _'Maybe a snack will help,' _he thought, making his way towards the kitchen.

Hiei had hoped for some alone time to just eat and think. What he received, however, was the opposite. He was met instead with the sight of the blue-haired onna, leaning against one of the counters with a glass of warm milk and a cookie.

'_I should leave,' _thought Hiei, but just as he was about to turn and motion towards the other direction, he was spotted.

'Hey, Hiei,' greeted Botan's soft voice, falling closely to a whisper. She smiled at him. 'Wanna come sit?'

'_No,' _thought Hiei, but grudgingly took the stool next to her nonetheless.

Botan passed him a tray of cookies and a jug of milk. Hiei took them from her gratefully, and thanked her with an impolite grunt. He quickly dug in to the food offered, too hungry to bother with etiqutte. It was only when he stuffed himself did he realized how he had gone without food for three days.

'Its been a while, hmm?' said Botan, looking wistful as she prodded her half-eaten cookie with a fork.

'Hn,' grunted Hiei, still focused mainly on his food. He drank a glass of milk in one swing and proceded to fill his stomach in with more cookies.

'Time flies,' muttered Botan, self-consciously.

Hiei didn't bother replying. Not knowing where this conversation was leading to, the koorime continued his meal in half-broken silence.

'A lot has happened...' muttered Botan some more, her voice dangerously close to being non-existant. Hiei, however, caught it with his hieghtened demon senses. '...Maybe this time, it'll all finally end.'

Hiei slowly placed the cookie back on his plate to turn his attention toward her. What seemed at first like senseless rambling, actually happened to mean a lot to the ferry girl, as now, tears were sliding down her pale cheeks. Hiei decided not to test her patience any further, as she looked dangerously close to breaking down. He kept quiet and allowed her to carry on.

'So many... have died...' said Botan with a sniff, the tears still staining her pale cheeks. She wiped them away hastily before carrying on. 'I've... been there... with each one of them...'

'_Who?'_ Hiei so desperately wanted to ask her, but remained silent inspite of the nagging question inside of his head.

'All the dead souls... they were tormented...' whispered Botan, unable to surpress the emotion any longer. Tears ran down her cheeks like waterfalls, unable even to stop. They sparkled beneath the light coming from the lone bulb dangling precauriously from the ceiling up above. 'And I saw them... saw them... all of them... die... right before my eyes.' She was sounding desperate now, as she continued forth with a more pleading tone of voice, a harsh fierceness to her tongue. 'I couldn't save them... not all... coz... I'm too... _weak,' _Botan spat the last word out as if it had been poison.

Hiei watched helplessly as she continued to sob. He found himself unable to do anything helpful about the situation – he wasn't very good with dealing with emotions. Usually keeping them so boiled up in himself, watching another being breaking forth and allowing tears to spill was almost the most uncomfortable thing in the world to him.

Hiei looked down at his plate. There was only one cookie left.

'Here,' said Hiei, not allowing any emotion to rise in his voice as he handed her his last cookie. He could still feel his stomach growl in resentment to his actions, but Hiei ignored it and proceded to wave the cookie in her face. 'Eating will make you feel better.'

Botan stared at the cookie as though it had somehow dropped from the sky. Trying to comprehend the meaning of his actions, she finally reached out to retrieve the cookie from his fingers. She chewed thoughtfully, and gradually found herself slowly starting to feel better. By the time she had finished her cookie, a small smile had formed on her face, contrasting drastically with her upsetting tears. Botan suddenly felt foolish for crying in front of someone who had endured so much more in his life than she had.

'I'm sorry,' muttered Botan, her eyes downcast. 'I...I guess I'm just upset that I couldn't save them.'

Hiei shrugged slightly. 'You can't save them all,' he replied, rising to his feet and ready to leave the room. _'I know I didn't,' _he added silently to himself as he started for the exit.

'Hiei, wait!' cried Botan, ceasing the koorime in his tracks. Hiei turned slightly. 'Thank you...' she whispered, rising to her feet to stand before him. She gave him a quick hug before giggling at his shocked expression.

Hiei quickly brought himself together, and nodded at her briskly.

'Oh, and Hiei?'

Hiei turned.

'You've grown taller.'

He left, a faint blush staining his otherwise pale cheeks. Botan smiled at his retreating figure, feeling a whole lot better than she had in years.

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**That was a quick update. I actually had this done in a matter of two hours, and I'm actually quite pleased with the outcome. You tell me what you think, though, coz its really your opinion that matters in the end. I, again, have no idea what will happen next. Though I'll probably add some more action into the story, and a little bit more fluff too.**

**Please drop me a review before you leave the page. TQ.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm SO, SO sorry! I wrote this fic while forgetting one of the names of the characters (bawls over in shame)! What sort of FAN am I?! Ohhh... I've been so focused on Naruto these past few days that I've been missing out on my duties as a loyal HB shipper! I'm sorry!**

**Maybe some of you didn't notice, but I sort of made a mistake during my last chapter. I put "8 months" instead of "11". I've revised this one, however, and I'm pretty sure I made it right!**

**Anyways, I'm sorry AGAIN for not updating sooner AND forgetting the name of that character of whom I forgot! Just to make it up to you, I pretty much thripled the size of this chapter! I hope you enjoy!! **

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**Against All Odds**

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_Chapter Three_

_21 years before the Makai Domination..._

'Hey, pacifier-breath! You look like you've gained some weight over the last few years!' greeted Yusuke Urameshi as he walked into the park the Prince of Rekai, Koenma, had called him over to.

'This is a serious matter, Yusuke,' said Koenma gravely, showing no evidence of humour in his eyes. Yusuke shut up immediately upon realizing this.

'Hmph,' grunted Hiei, looking grumpy in his position on the tree. 'Just get to the point, fool, so we can get this over with.'

'Yes, Koenma,' agreed Kurama, nodding his head promptly, the bangs of his silky red hair bounding as he did so. 'I have a meeting to attend to later, so if you don't mind, I'd like to actually make it in time for once.'

Koenma looked proffesional as he scanneed through the various irritated expressions of his ex-Rekai Tantei. He didn't blame them for being so, of course. After all, being called upon after years of not meeting one another for something so "serious" was obviously something to worry about. Koenma hesitated, and looked over at his ferry girl, Botan, standing to his left. She gave him a small nod of approval, then turned back to the rest of the crew with matching seriousness in her pink orbs.

'Well,' started Koenma. 'We've been informed by some very reliable sources that there is a new ruler of Makai – most probably a she. According to these sources, the ruler is planning to widen their territory by cutting open the portal into the human dimension. As you all know, this news is of great importance.'

The Prince paused, giving the ex-Tantei time for all the information to sink in. He watched the various expressions of the group carefully, hoping for the best. Yusuke looked grim and deep in thought as he continued to process everything said. Kurama had a look of terrible vehemence behind those glassy emerald eyes of his. Kuwabara's emotions were clear as he outwardly grinded his teeth together, looking angry. Hiei was as dark and expressionless as usual.

'Hn,' said the Jaganshi finally, breaking the thick barrier of silence. 'So you want us to help?'

Koenma nodded hesitantly; unsure of how the koorime would react to this.

Hiei Jaganshi snorted. 'Don't waste your time,' he muttered, leaping off the tree he had been leaning on and dissapearing into the wild shadows.

Koenma turned his hazel eyes on to the rest of them, biting his lower lip in apprehension. He hoped Yusuke and the others wouldn't turn down the need for help as Hiei just had. He didn't want to think about what might happen to the world if the new empress took over Ningenkai, and he REALLY didn't want to think of what would happen when his father found out he had not completed his simple task.

'What about the rest of you?' asked Koenma.

Everyone was silent for another long stretch of time. Kurama looked calculating. Kuwabara angry. Yusuke grim.

'I'll bring Hiei with us tomorrow,' stated the fox as though it was a done deal. He looked over at the rest of the group one last time, watched as they each nodded their heads promtly in approval, and parted their separate ways.

_16 years later, 11 months before present time..._

'Jaganshi, wake up!'

The first thing Hiei Jaganshi saw when he first cracked his eyes open from deep sleep, was the striking emerald eyes of Isamu Urameshi. Hiei growled groggily at him, hoping that Urameshi would get the point and give him some personal space. Luckily, Isamu had more sense than his father had, and quickly backed off with a nervous laugh.

'Sorry to wake you up this early,' said Isamu with a grin. There was no trace of sleep in his green orbs. He had the look of a man who had learned to wake up early for all of his life. The black bags under his eyes also gave him the look of a man who never had enough sleep, and was much too worked-out all the time. 'But we need you in the meeting room. I need to introduce you to the rest of the crew before we take off.'

'Take off where?' asked Hiei, sitting up and running his hands through his onyx-coloured hair.

Isamu grinned. 'The next rebellion, of course,' he said, then taking his leave for Hiei to take the necessary preparations before the meet.

Hiei looked at his katana, lying openly at the corner. He quickly grabbed it by the hilt; immediately feeling at comfort once again, before walking out of his room without bothering to bathe or clean off all his scars.

* * *

The meeting room wasn't anything much. Just a simple, gray-tiled sector of the rebellion homebase. There were a few empty chairs here and there, but no one had bothered to take a seat. Other than that, there were also three rows of weapons stacked one over the other on the both sides of the walls. Hiei marvelled at them silently as he made his way in. 

Isamu grinned at his arrival, offering Hiei a plate of cold toast and a stick of melted butter which the koorime eagerly accepted. 'Hiei,' said Isamu. 'I'd like to first introduce you to our main team.'

The Urameshi stood back so that Hiei could get a closer look of his fellow team-members. When he did, however, Hiei just coud not help but smirk.

There were four men in the room – all of whom Hiei had met beforehand; comrades of the ex-detective, people he had fought against and all of whom had respected Yusuke almost as greatly as he had.

The youngest, Joey, was still a young boy when they had last crossed paths. Now tall, lean and more mature, Joey stood in the middle of the group, his trademark yoyo now silver, still dangling from his index finger as he toiled with it lazily. Next to him was the drunk, Chuu. He held a bottle of half-empty sake in one hand, and a large club in the other, resting on his broad shoulders as he grinned at Hiei through half-lidded eyes. At the corner was Touya, a short ice-demon when they last met. He was now just as tall as Hiei, though still shorter than the rest of the group. He exchanged his old outfit for deep blue armor, a pair of plain black trousers and a pale blue-coloured robe to top it all off. His hair was the only thing about him that remained intact. Next to him was the wind master, Jin. There was no big difference in the air-demon aside from his unruly red hair, which now seemed to drag down to his hips.

'Hiei, man!' greeted Jin enthusiastically with his usual thick Irish accent. 'When Isamu here told me we were having a new member, I had no idea it'd be you! Glad to see ya on the team!'

'Well, since it seems you all know each other, I guess that saves the whole introduction process now, doesn't it?' said Isamu with his usual wide grin. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, lit it up, and started pressing it to his lips. 'Now, the reason I called upon this meeting so early in the morning was because of this new information some of my troops have just gathered last night.' Isamu clicked on a button, and in an instant, a large screen which Hiei had not noticed during his arrival zoomed to life.

Isamu pulled out a small laser from his pocket and flicked it on so he could use it to point at the necessary coordinates found on the map of the computer screen. 'Here,' said Isamu, gesturing at an area labeled, "063052" on the screen. 'Is where the Makai troops are said to store their weapons. If we could only send a group over there, we can infiltrate the hideout and snatch the loot – simple break in and stealing method, but nonetheless effective.'

Hiei watched as Isamu continued to rant on about their next mission with full concentration. It seemed they were sending out a small group to be led by Chuu and Joey. Jin and Touya, on the other hand, were supposed to stall the Makai army from getting inside. The mission required sacrifice, and it seemed the rebellion were ready to take plenty of it.

'We're digging an entrance underground even as we speak,' informed Isamu, looking strict as he turned off the screen, and it buzzed back to its empty state. 'We can use the new road, but with consequences. The new tunnel will be much quicker, but without the proper time, we aren't able to take the necessary safety precautions. Are we all clear on this?'

Chuu, Touya, Joey and Jin nodded their head in understanding, their eyes completely focused on their current leader – it seemed Isamu had inherited Yusuke's leadership qualities almost as well as that grin of his.

'Isamu-san, what is it you need me to do then?' a sudden voice piped up, shattering the thick silence.

Hiei turned to the source of the voice. It was the ferry onna again. He hadn't noticed her before, but with her presence still plaguing his mind since last night, Hiei wasn't at all surprised at the world's choice of ironic events. The ferry girl had been standing quietly in the corner until the briefing. She had replaced her old kimono with a pair of form-fitting faded jeans and a heavy black overcoat, draped over her grey blouse. Although he would never admit it himself, Hiei was quite pleased she now appeared somewhat more healthier than she was last night.

Isamu smiled. 'Glad you brought that up, Botan-chan,' he said lightly. 'You have one of the most difficult jobs of all... I need you to go undercover as one of the Makai troops, blend in with some of the demons... Since you seem to be the only one with an energy-pattern they haven't all ready recognized, I think you'll be the perfect one for the job.'

Hiei's eyes widened, and he quickly took back his words about Isamu having as good a leadership quality as his father.

Was this guy insane? The ferry woman couldn't possibly run through a mission – not after what happened yesterday! She was frail and weak... she didn't have a fighting bone in her small body. Hiei chose not to keep this information to himself and quickly snatched the oppurtunity to voice his opinion out loud.

Botan's pink eyes narrowed, as, for a second there, it seemed to have flared with an inner fire. She crossed her arms indignantly and stuck her nose to the side – a clear sign that she did not agree to Hiei's choice of words.

'Well...' said Isamu sheepishly, one hand running to the back of his neck and scratching an invisible itch. 'She was the only one the enemy had yet to recognize... I thought she would do perfectly for the job.'

'Well you thought wrong,' retorted Hiei flatly, seemingly oblivious to the glares the ferry woman was now giving him. 'The onna can hardly stand up to an insect... much less a troop of leveled demons. She can't possibly present herself as one of them. She'll choke at the first minute.'

Botan looked almost rigid with supressed fury. If she hadn't been so sick, the blood would have probably gathered to her cheeks and made her look like a red lobster on fire. Steam would have probably been rising out of her ears and nostrils.

'I'll have you know...!' snapped Botan, jutting a finger at Hiei's cloaked chest – a sign of feminine indignaty. 'That I CAN put myself up against a few demons! I'm not as weak as I used to be, you know!'

The koorime grunted loudly, waving off her temper tantrum with a dismissive air. 'You couldn't even walk on two legs without falling, _onna_!' he snapped. 'and the only way possible to keep your mouth shut would be to press a blade to your throat and threaten you out of talking.'

'Why you little...!'

But before either one of them could continue with their spat, Isamu appeared right between them, ceasing all current activities.

'I've made my decision,' he announced importantly. 'Botan is going on the mission...'

Hiei red eyes narrowed threateningly. _Was the boy MAD? Was he TRYING to get the onna killed?_

'And Hiei-,'

Hiei settled down at the mention of his name, though the blazing look of pure rage in his eyes did not lessen.

Isamu looked at the short fire demon... the man who fought side-by-side with his father. His earlier plan was to leave him at the base for him to gather his strength; after all, such an important asset to the team should not be running off to some small-time mission... he wanted to save the infamous Jaganshi crimelord for much bigger, more complexing plans. But as he now looked over at the Jaganshi – his face contorted in anger, his grip ironed over the hilt of his katana, the fire burning from withing his ember orbs – he knew such a thought would have to passed aside for another time. It seemed now that this mission meant a great deal to the all-powerful Jaganshi – it also seemed that, for some absurd reason, the safety of the ferry woman meant a lot to him as well.

'...you will escort her...'

* * *

_8 months later... 3 months before present time..._

Black silence drenched over the entire room as pink eyes, now taking a silver-ish hue due to the faint moonlight, gazed out of a window. Open palms pressed timidly against the smooth glass that sealed her from the outside world... the world filled with so much hate and misery that it caused fresh tears to well up in her eyes and roll down her shadowed cheeks.

'Onna...' cried a voice, hoarsely, faintly. '_Botan.'_

It was stubborn how the ferry onna refused to turn her head unless her real name was pronounced, even though she knew the source of the voice had been in pain and was probably using mostof his leftover strength to lean against her doorframe.

'I...'

He didn't need to finish his sentence to make her comprehend what he was saying. Botan knew exactly what he wanted... it shone deep within his deep, blood orbs. She rushed to his side and wrapped her arms beneath him to keep from falling over. Carefully, with grace much practiced, she draped the man over her own small shoulders and slowly heaved him to her bed, lying him down.

Without hesitation, the ferry woman ripped open the man's black robes. Her pink eyes inspected his swathed body with a medic's eye. He had gashes almost everywhere in every shape, size and colour. Red blood oozed out of his open pores. Scratches coated his fair chest, ripping his pale flesh to ribbons.

With a sigh, Botan started to prepare the medications.

'You've really outdone yourself this time, Hiei,' she muttered lightly as she carefully ran her fingers over his wounds to heal them.

It started of the night during their return from their first mission. She had offered to heal him and, though reluctantly, the fire demon had agreed. At first she had been nervousewhen taking apart his garments, but after a while, the ferry woman had gotten used to seeing his bare chest. Ever since that day, she had been having visits from the wounded koorime night after night. It was weird, though, how her mind always seemed to be looking forward to these night treatments. Afterall, how would his being unconscious appeal to her?

As the ferry girl continued to work, the fire demon plucked up the courage to crack open an eye. He almost smirked. He had never truly been unconscious during his medications.

* * *

_8 months back... 11 months before present time..._

'Use this potion to help conceal your identity,' instructed Isamu to both Hiei and Botan, just as the troops were about to leave. 'It will change your energy patterns to fit those of a lower-classed demon. It might also alter your image a bit, though, so be warned. This potion will only last for about two hours each, so be quick about it.'

Isamu handed them the fluid-filled vials and in turn dug a hand through his pockets and rummaged it until he found what he had been looking for. It was a small, fist-sized, mechanical instrument. A "walkie-talkie".

'Use those to contact Joey, Touya, Jin and Chuu,' he explained once they had accepted it from him. 'Once they're done with their missions you two can return to base. Got that?'

Botan nodded her head promptly. Hiei merely grunted ominously.

* * *

Botan's pupils dilated three times from its original size and took up a glossy red colour, a bright shade when compared to Hiei's deep, blood-red ones. Her lips, too, seemed more pursed together and her skin grew scaly and grey; almost as if she was sick. Her usual lop of messy blue hair darkened to a less vivid hue. It was now midnight blue – a colour in which, the dark-cloaked fire demon had decided did not suit her bright, optimistic personality at all.

Hiei, on the other hand, did not resort to such a drastic change. Instead, his usual spiked hair fell forward, almost shielding his eyes like black curtains. His skin-tone was a tint greener than usual, but aside from that, nothing else had changed.

Botans fingers ran through the rough, wiry locks of her dark blue hair before slinking into the shadows alongside her partner.

The koorime pressed his clawed index finger to his lips, a sign that meant for her to keep still and quiet. Slowly and carefully, the Jaganshi thief snuck in between the troops with grace that gratified his name as infamous Makai criminal almost precisely. Hiei nodded once he was in positioned, motioning for the ferry woman to make her move.

With an intake of breath, Botan slipped out of her hiding spot, doing her best to imitate the movements shown by Hiei earlier. It was much more difficult than it looked it seemed, and in a matter of moments, the ferry girl found herself face-flat against the earth. She moaned pitifully when she heard the incoming footsteps.

'Who are you?' demanded a bulky blue demon gruffly, grabbing the poor ferry woman by her collar and pulling her up in a rude, painful gesture.

Hiei almost slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead in aggitation. _He **knew** it! That ferry girl would ruin **everything! **_Just as he was about to sneak out of cover and pull her out of her own humiliating capture, however, the ferry girl opened her mouth to speak...

'Release me!' ordered Botan, her usual perky voice coming out as a heavy hiss. The potion wasn't meant to do that. Perhaps the onna was smarter than she deemed in his eyes? 'I am an inspector for the Empress herself! She sent me here to assure you _fools _don't go ruining her plans!'

The demon's face twisted unsurely. 'What sector are you?' he snapped.

_Shit, _thought Hiei, ever the pessimistic one. _We didn't even last five minutes, damnit!_

'Sector A-500-92!' replied Botan, snappily, the thick, evil hiss still lingering on her tongue.

'A-500-92...?' repeated the demon in question. He seemed curious and suspicious. 'How come I've never heard of that before?'

'Because its private, you oaf, now release me before I slaughter you!' cried Botan, shoving his meaty hand off her with narrowed eyes. Back stiff, arms folded, the ferry girl – now in the form of a great, menacing demoness – crossed her way over to Hiei. She gave him a coy wink before strutting off with her demon-mode in peak position.

Without realising it, Hiei Jaganshi smirked.

_Maybe he didn't give that ferry onna enough credit after all.

* * *

_

**Did you realize the mistake? That yoyo dude... I FORGOT HIS NAME! So I named him "Joey"... I searched everywhere for his REAL name, but I couldn't find it... Since the name "Joey" always came popping up in my head I decided to use it in the end.**

**Anyways, I think I overdid this one... and the ending sounds a little too rushed... but, seriously! I could NOT cut you guys off without any real plot, right? My original idea was to end it off after Isamu said, **_'...you will escort her...'_**, but for some reason, I decided to lengthen it. Comment me and tell me if it was TOO long!**

**SORRY!**

**  
REVIEW!**


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